Thread: my service magic experience so far

So we signed up with SM about 6 weeks ago. I set my spend targets at $100 a month for normal leads and another $100 a month for "exact match" leads.
So I think they are already playing games with this. I hit the 1st $100 then I got a couple of exact match leads. The funny thing is the exact match leads are identical to the normal leads. Then today I got a email with a exclusive lead offer. They said I would have to pay more and it would be outside of my regular spend targets but I would be the only pro that got this lead. I did not accept this lead, I think they are playing games with how they word the leads just to make as much money from me as they can. The other thing that stinks about this is the minimum you can set is $100 for each category for a total of $200. I've landed one job from this so far and most have just been tire kickers.

I agree, and when they send you a bum lead you need to raise hell quick or you don't get a credit for it. I've gotten several leads half filled in, out of my service area, and for services other than what I listed. Its usually a battle to get a credit.

__________________
A wise man once told me: Believe nothing that you hear and about half of what you see.

Epic,
I am also in the cities. I agree with you. I did sign up with service magic 2.5 years ago. It was great in the begining, I recived alot of good leads. However as they advertised more on local tv and more contractors signed up I was getting ALOT of tire kickers. It was not worth it anymore. They do play alot of games with leads, and cc charges.. YOU do have to raise alot of heck to get a credit. What really made me upset was there is really no way for them to quantify the lead is serious, let alone valid. I would be better off opening up the phone book and start cold calling.
I also have a bother-in-law in the north metro of the TC and he uses sm. They where getting leads for snow plowing of commercial parking ramps in Minneapolis, and they werent even signed up for snow plowing leads, only lawn and landscaping, but since users also checked the landscape box my brother in law recived the lead. To top that it wasnt even in there zip code boundries. My sister spent 45 minutes fighting with SM to get a credit. Sm excuse was well you did get a good lead--- you should call them.
They are still using it but only for a couple zip codes and for lawn mowing ONLY.
Just my exp.

they have been hounding me to sign up i almost did then i looked at the amount af leads requested in my areas in the last 90 day and there was zero as soon as i brought this up i havent hearda peep from them, and then like you say i think they th=ry to make all the leads exact matches so they can scam 30 bucks from ya. i dont think im going to use them , then they tried to hit me with the ol 99.00 sign up fee and i was like 99.00 bucks for zero leads requested in 5 zipcodes around here in the last 90 days.. come on.. no way.

Back in the early 90's when everyone was so excited about a home office, I took a job wiht a telemarket firm, " I was one of the MIS guys" not knowing what the co did.
everything was going well. untill I found out they sold LEADS,

these leads were right outta the phone book.

we were profiled on 60 minutes. Needless to say I didnt walk away from them... I ran.

Best of luck

__________________
Dont even talk to people who cant purchase your product or service.........Dave Thomas.